Monster World
by Megazord Master
Summary: What if the TMNT movie hadn't ended happily? What if Raph went too far? Authors Note added.
1. Raph's Mistake

Disclaimer: TMNT isn't mine, same old stuff as pretty much every single disclaimer in this site, really.

Timeline: TMNT 2007 movie-verse. Set after the battle on the rooftops with Leo. Question being – What if Raph had gone a step too far?

Monster World

The rain poured down. Lightning crashed as the two brothers stared into each other's eyes with barely restrained anger and fury. A swift kick in the chest separated them – only for one of the brothers to charge at the other. Thunder rumbled overhead, as if urging the two combatants to finish their family feud. In the apartments below, families huddled in fear as they heard shouts, grunts and the ever-present metallic clinks of steel against steel. A quick 180 and they were facing each other again. They silently charged for the umpteenth time – their weapons locking together. Steel katana intertwined with the sai – in a battle of both strength and emotion. One of the brothers looked down fleetingly and then stared into his opponent's eyes.

Gone were any traces of compassion, resentment or restraint. Instead, fire raged in them – a berserker's fire nothing could quench. The sword wielding brother inwardly sighed. He knew that he would have to sacrifice his weapons in order to break the deadlock, but he prayed that would be enough. Slight groaning of the blades were his only answer – the metal about to break.

Without warning, the blades snapped. One brother was thrown back as the other jumped on top of him, grinning like a madman. As the prone brother looked up, he found himself truly afraid of his opponent. There was no trace of humanity left in those cold, black eyes. His own eyes widened and he opened his mouth to scream.

Nothing came out.

The left sai tore through his face, ripping muscle and shattering bone. He was barely aware of the pain and the blood loss. He numbly tried to clear his vision. _It wasn't supposed to go this way!_ He was supposed to help his brother back to his family so they could save the city! The injured brother opened his mouth to let out one word – before the right sai tore through his throat.

"_Raph_…"

TBC…


	2. Road to Death

Disclaimer – Usual stuff. If I owned the TMNT-verse, do you think Fast Forward would be running?

Rating: R/M for dark scenes, graphic images of death, character death

Monster World

Chapter One: Road to Death

5 years later…

Jack Tate was scared shitless. Not of the night or the dark. At 25, he knew better. His grip tightened around the K-Bar knife at his side. At least it was a clear night. He was grateful for that at least.

But he was still scared.

If anyone had told him that a column of light would signal the end of the world, he would have laughed his head off. No way could light be the portal to another dimension. But, it was. Five years ago – monsters had come screaming out of the Winters Corp building, signaling the end of Man. He had heard whispers of monsters fighting monsters, strange bipeds that looked like turtles, fighting on rooftops in the rain. He had dismissed them as murmurings of the unhinged – of people who had seen family members ripped to shreds in front of them.

He steeled himself and walked on. He wasn't sure where he was going, just that he had to get away from New York – away from Earth, really. There were no spaceships loaded with passengers, no mystical saviors clad in spandex…just a few hundred survivors of what was called "M-Day" – or the day monsters ravaged the earth.

He knew of one pseudo-superhero, the Night Watchman. Rumor had it that he was the Nightwatcher – the vigilante crime fighter that kept the streets safe – using another name. Another went that he was nothing more than a monster himself – a giant turtle. The last – and more real – rumor said that he was a haunted man who had committed a great evil to people close to him. That he went too far in a friendly brawl and ended up killing his brother. That his family had cursed him to wander the streets, looking for ways to soothe his tortured soul.

Without warning, the wind picked up and howled around him. It was a bad omen, all right. He could feel it in his bones. What was he doing on this side of the city anyway? It was near that diner, where the cook had allegedly fought against what was called the Jersey Devil in a battle to the death. Then he had seen the cook – that tub of lard couldn't fight off a diet, let alone a devil.

He turned around and held up his knife. He saw nothing behind him. He tensed and breathed in relief. There was nothing there – just the monsters in his imagination. he shook his head and kept walking.

That would be a mistake – his _last_ mistake.

Quicker than a heartbeat, hundreds of small, horned demons swarmed out of the shadows and latched onto his legs. He screamed as the razor sharp teeth ripped through his pants, slashing at the flesh below. He took a few wild swings with the knife – slicing one open, spearing the eye of another, bisecting one – but the still kept coming. They were crawling on each other, devouring anything they could chew through. Jack groaned – the blood loss was making him weak. As it was – the pavement was awash with his blood and bits of shredded material.

His legs snapped and he fell to the earth, feeling satisfied as ten of the demons were crushed. It was getting harder to breathe now, there was too much pain – everywhere hurting at once

With the last of his strength, he lifted his head up – not caring that his neck was exposed – and stared at the approaching figure.

_The Night Watchman…_

_TBC…_


	3. Reflections

Chapter Three – Reflections

The Night Watchman sighed deeply. He had been two blocks away, dispatching two Minotaurs, when he had heard the screams. He turned away as the body finally went limp, the devils swarming all over it. He wished that his helmet had earplugs – to block out the soft sucking and ripping he could hear. He shook his head and walked away, shoulders slumped in sadness. Reaching a rusted fire escape, he climbed up to the roof. Sighing once again, he looked down – barely seeing the devils consume the last of the body, before slowly taking off his helmet.

_Five years…_

The Night Watchman stared at himself in the dim reflection of the visor. He still looked the same…no matter how hard he wished. He was one of four – now three – brothers. Sworn to protect the innocent, trained as Ninja. The fact that he was a giant, mutant turtle didn't help his cause much either. His name _had_ been Raphael…five years ago. Now, his only name was the Night Watchman…no longer the Night Watcher. Everything had been so good…until that one night five years ago… after he had gone home…

Flashback

_Raph__ didn't know what to do. His sai were still stained with his brother's blood. The colour of it was red – just like on his bandanna. He had fled the scene if fright and shame. He had gone too far and killed his own brother. All for what? A piss up contest – to see who was the strongest fighter. No, not even that. Raph had been ashamed of his nocturnal activities. He had wanted his big brother to admire him – for him to finally be recognized as a hero. To himself, he was a hero…but to other eyes – he was a menace to society._

_He wandered the empty sewer tunnels in a daze. He hadn't bothered to change out of his Night Watcher armour – he wanted to hide behind it as long as he could. He didn't want to admit that he had done something wrong to his father…but he had to face up sometime or another._

_He punched the wall in a rage. Why now? Why had he lost his grip on his berserker rage now? When the city – the world – was in danger of becoming infested? He didn't want to kill him…he had just…snapped. Gone too far…made a mess of things like he usually did. For crying out loud – the city was in danger and all he could think about was himself! He was SO stupid! Billions of lives rested in their hands…and his hands had destroyed all hope. He shook his head violently – trying to clear out the tears from his eyes. He wanted freedom – but he was shackled to guilt for life. Even so…he had to tell someone. Casey was a no go. April was with Casey, so that was out as well. There was only one option for him._

_Squaring his shoulders, he walked solidly into the dojo, where his Master was practicing. The mutant rat was honing his skills for the upcoming fight. A fight that would not happen – not after he learned the truth. He opened his mouth to speak, but the rat was quicker. His tone was stern – as always._

_"Raphael. What is the matter? I can feel your anger from here."_

_Raphael started to speak, but his words came out strangled. As the rat turned, he could see that his son was clad in a strange leather and steel suit. It was very similar to the one the Night Watcher wore…but then he should have known sooner. His son – the reckless one – was the Night Watcher. The old rat felt a surge of pride…but that fell away as soon as it had appeared._

_"I…did something stupid. More stupid than stupid. I…I…they, the storm and…I lost control."_

_Now the rat was becoming concerned. His son had always had a tenuous grip on his rages, but he had never totally lost control yet. Another thing nagged at him – where was Leonardo? The eldest brother had gone out to look for Raphael…but if Raphael had come back alone…no. Raphael couldn't have…could he?_

_"I did it Sensei…I killed Leo."_

End Flashback

Well, it had all gone downhill from there. An extended screaming match between himself and the family, being shunned by Casey and April, leaving on a self-imposed exile…not to mention the fireworks that had gone on that night. And the monsters…the hordes of monsters that had come barreling down the street. Millions – if not billions – of them, all shapes, sizes and colours. He hadn't had time to think about his actions before the screaming started.

Sure, he had run into his remaining brothers once or twice. Those encounters had been rather strained – with both sides not knowing what to say to each other. The only person…well, turtle…that didn't seem to mind was Michelangelo. That was due to the talk that they had shared on their first meeting. He kept bringing Raph information from home – monster tracking reports, footprint analysis and the like. In return, he gave Mikey and – by extension – the rest of the family information about the so called "Weak spots" – breeding grounds, nests and where the old and sick were. So far, it was a somewhat shaky alliance – but it was strengthening.

Raph sighed again, before sliding on his helmet. He kept thinking about those stone statues – what they were…_who_ they were…and why he had heard reports that they were destroying the monsters. He also wondered about the Foot. Karai had not been seen for some time. He didn't know if that was a good thing or not but some of the Foot Soldiers he had come across…well, they were still deadly – but they were leaderless. Raph stood up and turned away from the city skyline.

He missed his brothers


	4. Ironic Victory

A/N: Whoa…So many hits on this story…I'm just amazed at it! Thanks to those who review – but updates for this story will be long in coming as I devote most of my time to Tinywarz Rangers. And…there will be NO happy ending to this story. Enjoy!

Chapter Four – Ironic Victory

It was a late night in downtown Berkley. What little light there was came from the numerous spot fires that dotted Telegraph Avenue. The sprawling campus of UC Berkley had turned into a breeding ground for the Bigfoot monsters. Bodies lay everywhere – expressions of fear and shock still visible on their rotting faces. In an alleyway, two giant figures were surveying the damage that they had inadvertently done. It was all supposed to have been so simple – replace the thirteenth monster to allow the portal to remain open and then to control whatever came out. In reality, that hadn't been the case. One of the Watchers shook his head – trying to block the memories of five years ago…

Flashback

_While scouring the rooftops, they had come across the body of a turtle creature – and they thought they had hope. But, as they rolled the body over, they saw the gash in its neck, saw the impossibly red blood weakly drip out. Whatever this creature was, it would have been of use to them – if it were alive. They didn't have all thirteen monsters, so their "curse" would continue._

_If they had to…they'd sacrifice their "brother"_

End Flashback

That hadn't turned out so well. Their brother had tried to run, but the strongest of them had thrown him into the portal – hoping to close it for good. Unfortunately, their actions caused the portal to hyperextend for about fifteen minutes – bathing everyone in a thick slime – before closing. The results had been disastrous. By the time they had picked themselves up off the floor, there were already reports coming in of monsters appearing everywhere. Monsters that showed no mercy. Monsters that could not be controlled.

It was almost laughable what had happened next. In a blind panic, they had burst outside to try to round up as many monsters as they could find. People screamed in panic – causing them to panic and freak out even more. After about twenty minutes, it became painfully obvious that unless they could teleport all the monsters back – they weren't going to have their army. So, they had tried a different tactic. Instead of fighting with the monsters, they would carve out a niche of terror for themselves.

That had gotten old _really_ fast.

No matter where they went, the monsters were there first. The Human species was practically forced into waging a war of survival against the monsters, but they were being defeated. The Watcher sighed once more, causing his comrade-in-arms to look up at him questioningly. He sighed and shook his head, then returned to his thoughts.

They had to fight – if not for the humans, then for their very survival. Even though they were impervious to most weapons – they could still have parts shatter. That was the bad part about being an immortal stone general…you could still get hurt. The four had agreed to spread out all over the world, taking down as many monsters as they could. After hearing a few short reports, they had decided to stay away from Australia. It had been almost fully overrun by mutant Cerebri. There were reports of a stronghold keeping them out of Sydney – but the defenders were boxed in from all sides. The ocean held little safety. Monstrous beasts such as Kraken and Leviathans had set up shop there – destroying anything and anyone stupid enough to sail through their territory. Even the skies above swarmed with mutant bats, insects and the odd Dragon.

The world had been totally overrun. Within the span of two weeks, monsters were the dominant life form on the planet. Humans were defending themselves as best as they could – but nuclear missiles had done nothing to stem their numbers. The Stone Generals had been forced to fight side by side with the Humans on more than one occasion – something they tolerated, if only just. Over the years, their barely-there tolerance had grown into mutual understanding and acceptance. The Generals had become the Humans public protectors – now that Karai had mysteriously disappeared. They had come across a few of the Turtle creatures, but had always fought alongside them – never with them. They were formidable fighters – killing monsters with ease, but they had always run off after the battle. The Watched shook his head, before looking at the shattered remnants of his left arm. He had swung out too hard on his last outing – striking a reinforced concrete wall. He knew that he could easily "create" a new arm for himself – or even a new weapon, but he wore the stump with pride.

He watched the smoke drift lazily over the street, before nodding once.

General Aguila and General Mono faded into the shadows, away from their ironic victory.


	5. Shadowed Innocence

A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed! Real Life's gotten its claws into me – but this idea/muse sunk its teeth into me…and it won't let go!

Chapter 5 – Shadowed Innocence

The ninja crept closer to his prey. The monster didn't even blink as he came nearer, it knew its fate. The ninja drew his weapon and tensed his arms. To its credit, the monster just stood there – unmoving. A blur of motion later – and the creature was dead. As it slumped to the ground, the Ninja grabbed its dead flesh and gently lowered it to the ground. He couldn't afford to be seen or heard – the monsters were breeding and mutating out of control. He tucked away his modified nunchaku in his belt and leapt up to the nearest fire escape – to think, reflect and brood.

He smirked at that last thought. Brooding was always the job of his older brother – never for him. Over the years, though, he had seen things that haunted his steps. Creatures shrouded in mystery and myth – brought to the light of day by an attempted takeover plot that was doomed from the start. The first few days had been rough. He, his remaining brother and his Sensei had taken to the streets to find out what was happening topside. As if the screams of fear and pain weren't enough – he had woken up that night in a cold sweat, his mind still reeling from the images on the streets. Bodies lay everywhere – most of them still alive. The next reports told of walking statues trying to round up the monsters…and failing. It was then that their Sensei had permitted them to try to round up as many human survivors as they could – to take them to someplace safe.

That had ended in tragedy.

Most of the humans didn't trust them and were afraid of them. Of course, April and Casey had helped convince a few – but the majority had fled in fear. The real spine tingling terror had begun that night. With the fifty humans they had managed to convince hiding in their lair, his brother had switched on the monitors – their link to the outside world. The images they saw were horrible. People were trying to fight the monsters, but they were being killed. Within minutes, fire breathing Wyverns had destroyed any and all air resistance – while armoured basilisks had torn through most military units within seconds. Explosions did some damage to the creatures – so the only place that was gaining some ground against the monsters was in Iraq. Upon seeing the images, half of the people they had saved ran outside in a blind panic. They had seen them two seconds later…as victims of the Mothmen.

His brother had tried compiling a list of all the monsters – but there were just too many. Too many deaths, too much horror. Eventually, he had stopped joking around so much, stopped laughing all the time – he had lost his smile. He sighed and ran a three fingered hand over his dark blue eyes. Once upon a time, his eyes had been bright blue – but that was before the fight with the Hellhounds. Now, the irises were forever scorched. He was so engrossed in brooding, that he jumped as a figure landed next to him. He took in a deep breath and nodded to the figure – before speaking in a hoarse voice.

"Rough night, too much death and destruction everywhere. Don – he's in the lair, working on his new leg. He keeps joking that he's the Terminator – flesh, blood and metal. How're you holding up?"

The figure sighed and began signing. The Ninja nodded as he saw what was being "said". He had helped the figure in an ambush – that had cost the figure dearly. He knew who the person under the hood was – he just didn't know what was watching. As he saw the figure finish the explanation, he nodded once.

"I know, but you can't do much. You can't even talk – those Harpies ripped out your tongue. I could help you find him, but I don't know where he is. He could be anywhere."

The Ninja sighed once more, his shoulders aching. He shook his head – debating with himself. He checked his wrist for the watch he knew was there. He swore silently under his breath and looked up into the brown eyes of the figure.

"I need to go. You need to go and try to find out more. I know you don't come after us 'cause of what happened that night, but Sensei still doesn't trust you. He doesn't trust anyone who was close to The Shredder. 'specially you."

He gazed at the figure and was rewarded with a slight, resigned nod. The Ninja jumped off the fire escape and disappeared into the darkness of an alley.

There would be no more jokes for Michelangelo. Not anymore.


	6. Hardened Thinker

A/N: Yes, I know it's been a while. Real Life and other projects have been chewing on me for some time. Kudos to all those still visiting and reading!

Monster World

Chapter 6 – Hardened Thinker

The scientist picked up a tool and unscrewed the bolts holding his leg in place. As he did, he thought about the past – about the creatures that his family had been battling. Mythical and monstrous; new types and species kept popping up everywhere. It didn't help that their territories kept changing – an area that was infested with Minotaurs one month was crawling with Wyverns the next. It also didn't help that his youngest brother was always going topside to "right what was wronged" – or that he was constantly meeting the Exile. He sighed at the thought – finally loosening the bolts on his leg. He reached down and detached it off the mangled stump of what was his left leg. A battle with a pair of rutting Cyclops had cost him dearly. He laughed softly, the sound echoing off the cold brick of the lair. Just one wrong move and it had happened…

Flashback

_The scientist knew he shouldn't have been out this far – not tonight anyway, but he just had to see. He just was curious to see the monsters and what they did to mate. He crept to the site of what was once Foot Headquarters and peered over a ridge of debris. He saw two brutish Cyclops in what appeared to be a mating fight. He watched – not realizing that he was upwind from them. They paused, sniffed the air and turned to his location. The scientist just watched with growing fear and slowly backed away…only for his right foot to come down on a crushed soda can. The scientist flailed his arms as silently as he could – and was saved from a loud fall by a pain in his left leg._

_His leg was in the grip of one of the Cyclops. The scientist was bodily yanked up, his head colliding with the ground painfully – making him see stars. He groped for his weapon on his back but even that action was cut short as the creature slammed him into the ground without releasing his leg. He balled his hand into a fist and struck out blindly. As luck would have it, his wayward fist slammed home into the eye of the brute holding him. The Cyclops staggered back in pain and dropped the scientist – slamming him in to the ground yet again. Testing his leg, he found that he could still move it – barely. The pain was excruciating, but tolerable. After all, he was trained to channel the pain into a useful weapon against his enemies._

_He never saw the blow from behind that sent him sprawling heavily on his plastron. The blow knocked the wind out of him and left him spluttering. He craned his head up to see what had hit him. It wasn't the second Cyclops as he'd been expecting – but the female. A towering mass of muscle, claws and teeth. She reached out with one hand and he tried to get away. Not that it helped – her fist closed over his already battered left leg and squeezed. He felt something in his leg give way and then heard a sound like someone tearing wet cloth followed by a horrific sensation of fire and ice in his leg. He crawled forwards – away from the creatures, but collapsed in pain. With some effort, he rolled over onto his shell and looked down at the damage._

_His leg was gone. From the knee down – everything was gone. He was bleeding out rapidly and knew that no one was going to look for him. His vision dimmed and his head lolled to one side. In the distance, he heard a rapidly approaching hum – almost like a motorbike. It couldn't be the Exile, could it? He didn't know and didn't really care. Everything was light and he was weightless. He heard sounds of combat and a few roars of pain – and then silence. So that was it, the Exile had bit the dust. As the scientist lay there, he felt sad for some reason – and started apologizing to whoever was out there. He couldn't remember what he had said, just that he was sorry for yelling at the Exile and he always loved him no matter what. He felt himself being lifted up and then the wind rushing over his body – and then nothing._

End Flashback

He smirked sadly at the memories, adjusting the motors in his leg. He had woken up on the couch, his leg cleaned and properly bandaged. His father told him that he didn't know what had happened – that he had found him outside the lair. He had a feeling his father wasn't telling him the entire truth, but he had let it slide. His life was more important – that and his ability to fight. His first attempts at a new leg were disastrous – until he applied himself. The first mechanical leg was a bit too long, the second one a bit too short. In a Goldilocks subversion, the third one was just right…but shattered the first time he attempted a kick. Granted, the kick was on the chest of a mutated Wendigo, but it was a good test of the stresses of combat.

He smiled sadly and put down his tools. He often wondered who had saved him – since his youngest brother had been on the other side of the city at the time. He had often thought that it was the Exile – and he had heard what the Scientist had said. Well, he wasn't going to take any of it back. Even though he thought he was on the brink of death, what he had said was true. He missed his brother – missed having him around, joking with him and fighting alongside him. He still resented him mildly for killing their eldest bother, but that would always be there. He reattached his leg and stood up. It was perfectly weighted and could hold up to the strongest of kicks. He smiled in satisfaction and sheathed his new staff. Ironically, it was made out of all three failed legs and was weighted at one end for extra striking power.

Donatello was ready to rock – again.


	7. Silent Night

A/N: Wow...2 chapters in 2 days! I'm amazed at how many hits I've gotten since yesterday! Thank you all and remember to hit the "Review" button on your way out!

Chapter 7 – Silent Night

The heiress jumped the gap between the buildings – mind racing furiously. She knew that she had been away too long. The remnants of the New York branch were dwindling rapidly against the creatures…and the branches around the world weren't doing so well either. Without her guidance, they would still fight well – but overwhelming the enemy with sheer force instead of cunning. It was taking too long to train up new members. It was time that they did not have – especially if they were to complete what was started. Ducking behind a wall, she thought back to the day of the invasion. It had all happened so fast. No resistance from anyone – except very faint yells from the sewers. Just another job, really.

And then the light had come. An all-encompassing white light…bathing everyone in a thick slime. Of course, her warriors had complained about it for a split second – before the first of the monsters came out. Her first thought was that the creatures had broken free of their trappings – but when more than thirteen came out she started to panic – but she kept calm. No sense worrying about the perceived end of the world unless you were all but defeated. Some of the first monsters to set foot in their world had died that day – victim to a thousand cuts across the belly, neck and legs. Too soon, they were forced back by the sheer number of creatures popping up everywhere. An ogre had squashed one of her best soldiers and two Chupacabra sucked the other one dry. They had retreated…with heavy losses. Twelve monsters were killed, but up to thirty warriors had been killed.

Sine that day, they had been literally living in the shadows. They scavenged whatever real food they could – but they were forced to kill the monsters for food most of the time. The heiress' mouth quirked up briefly. The meat wasn't really that bad. What it tasted like was dependant on the creature killed. Usually, they hunted Bigfoot, Gorgons and the occasional Cerebrus. For a time, they were dependant on eating fried Harpy, but that was before the ambush. And since she had no tongue…well – she could still eat, but she had to be very careful. The Turtles didn't really bother with her much – they had their own parts to play in the drama. She thought back to the first meeting with them…well, the first meeting with the "Exiled One"

Flashback

_She patrolled the streets as she usually did around their latest settlement. Her second in command seemed competent enough. Apparently he had been around to see the defeat of the Shredder under the pier. Although he didn't speak much, he was a good fighter and tactician. She leapt to another roof before whirling around – blade drawn. The shaft of the katana was swiftly batted away by a single sai – the wielder not in the mood for a fight. The Heiress sheathed her katana and spoke – her lightly accented voice carrying a note of curiosity._

"_Why are you here? Where are your brothers?"_

_The Exile laughed – a harsh sound that carried depths of sorrow, pain and regret. His eyes shone with a deep sadness and a hollow loneliness – something that carried in his voice._

"_My brothers…well, I did something really bad. Something that's exiled me from my family and allies. I guess I'm trying to work out what to do now. I don't really have a purpose."_

_She stared at the turtle curiously. The clothing he was in was very familiar. The slate gray suit and the modified motorcycle helmet…it looked like the Nightwatcher. She shouldn't have surprised to discover that – but she was. She sensed a deep pain in him – a yawning chasm of self-loathing and hatred. She didn't press to what happened. He swallowed and turned to her._

"_So…what are you up to? I doubt you're itching for a fight. None of your guys around here. Still remember the bruising they gave me a while ago. So – what's you doing now? Protecting the people or what?"_

_She turned to him and smiled. While protecting others didn't really appeal to her – or to the organization – it did make sense. The human race was on the verge of extinction. Monsters of all shapes, sizes and variations ravaged the lands. The general populace wouldn't really get anywhere by hiding…and the Turtles could only cover so much ground. She doubted they would go as far as the West coast, but she could be wrong._

_It was time for a change_

End Flashback

And that was the beginning of their crusade against the creatures. She remembered the early days as she raced to their encampment. They failed raids, the retaliations and the recruiting. They had become the protectors of the populace. It was too bad the Power Rangers were only a myth – they needed help badly. The Heiress finally reached the Foot encampment and found it undisturbed. She sighed with relief and took off her hood – revealing her scarred mouth.

There would be no more "easy" days for Karai or the Foot.


	8. Vigilant

A/N: Well, the muses are injecting me with fresh ideas! And to the reviewer who asked - Leo is dead. That won't stop him making an appearance in one or two later chapters though!

Chapter 8 – Vigilant

The vigilante snarled beneath his mask as he surveyed what had once been Central Park. All of the greenery that had dotted the expanse of space had been destroyed. Ironically, it had been eaten by the only _literal dinosaurs_ to come out of the…whatever it was. He sighed and stared as one of the creatures emerged from the bushes. It was a basic ceratopsid form – something similar to a Triceratops or a Styracosaur but had a larger neck frill, two brow horns above each eye and a forked nasal horn. He remembered the first time he had seen the creatures, he had run to the resident Scientist for clarification. Of course – that was when he had still thought they were out for blood. After a scouting mission revealed their herbivorous nature, the scientist had deduced that they were a "lost" subfamily of Ceratopsidae; one that combined characteristics from both "known" subfamilies.

He had lost track of the discussion somewhere between talk of rifts, evolution and the KT Boundary. It was kind of ironic. He was itching for a fight – but he had been assigned to look over the most docile monsters in the world. Literally. Of course – it had downsides; one being that he was usually away from his friends and fiancée for long periods of time. Friends – that wasn't including the Night Watchman. He smirked at the thought. He was there to witness part of the aftermath and had been stunned at the confession. Of course – he knew something had gone wrong when the Sensei had called everyone into the dojo. He probably shouldn't have blown up like that – he knew his friend was always being controlled by his emotions…but that was too much to take.

Flashback

_Everyone was in the dojo. The Sensei was there as well as the turtles. For some reason, Raph looked guilty and was attempting to hold back…something. The Vigilante's eyes flicked down to the sai on Raph's belt. They were stained with something red. It couldn't be blood – could it? And if it was…whose was it? The others seemed to be intact and uninjured. His eyes swept over the group – doing a mental headcount. There was one member missing – the Leader. He opened his mouth to speak, but the Sensei cut him off with a glare; turning to Raph. His voice was angry, disappointed and stern._

"_A grave mistake has been made in the past few hours. One that could cause lasting repercussions for not only ourselves – but for the world. Raphael; tell us where you were and what you did. Leave nothing out."_

_He saw the turtle stumble forwards and swallowed hard. Whatever it was that Raph had done – it didn't warrant a public outsting and humiliation…did it? He listened with interest – slightly impressed by the description of the diner fight and what Raph had to do. When he mentioned the Leader cornering him on the roof, he got worried. He listened to the explanation with a mounting dread. Of course – the Leader was only captured, there was no way in Hell that Raph could've…Shit. _

"_What were you even thinking?"_

_His mouth moved before his brain could stop it. He didn't care; all the dread and interest had warped into a blazing rage. He could see his future fiancée try to calm him down; could see the shocked and disappointed looks from the other two brothers and the overwhelming shame on Raph's face. For some inexplicable reason – that incensed him further._

"_You killed your brother! Murdered him in cold blood! You've done some pretty stupid shit in your life, Raph, but this takes the cake! I…I don't even know what to say to you!"_

_He sighed and palmed his face, shaking his head. He inhaled deeply and swallowed again. He turned to leave – noting Raph's pleading face behind him._

"_To me, you're no better than the monsters."_

_End Flashback_

Come to think of it, he was being controlled by his emotions that night. He didn't hear the rest of the shouting match and it didn't register when the Exile – as he was now known – left the lair. They had decided to patrol the northern side of the city…and had been perplexed at the light that engulfed Winters' tower. After the monsters had poured out of the "woodwork' – they had put two and two together pretty fast. After that, there was nothing to think about. He sighed again, watching the oblivious ceratopsids eat. Don had attempted to come up with a name for them – but had failed after twenty-eight tries. The Vigilante turned to leave, hefting up his bat.

Casey Jones disappeared into the night – haunted by his memories.


	9. Fading Light

A/N: Aren't you all lucky? 2 updates in one day! Read and Review folks!

Chapter 9 – Fading Light

The Sensei sat on the mat – in deep meditation. He knew that his sons and allies were slowly losing the battle and the will to fight. Although he had made peace with it; he knew that the blame fell squarely on his rebellious son's shoulders. If he had not done what he had – then they would be living in peace. There would be no bone-crushing monsters roaming the streets and the Vigilante would not be as withdrawn. The Ninja would be more upbeat and the Scientist would still have his original leg. The Heiress would be attacking them – but they could always handle her.

And…and the Leader would not be dead.

As the Sensei deepened his meditative trance, his spirit detached from his body and floated freely around the Astral Plane. Coloured swirls of energy dotted his field of vision and images of the past five years floated up in front of him.

Flashback

_He gathered his family around the freshly dug grave. They were all there to __honour__ the memory of their fallen Leader. Everyone – except the Exile. He had been continually yelled at and had left in the middle of the night. The sensei knew that he shouldn't care, but he was still his son. The assembled people sniffled as they stared at the place where they had buried the only remnants of the Leader – his broken swords. He felt an overwhelming sorrow at the thought of never seeing his eldest son again._

_A figure on top of a building caught his attention. He slowly moved his eyes in the direction of the figure and squinted slightly. It was the Exile in the garb of the Nightwatcher. His helmet was off and the way his face glinted in the moonlight – was he crying? Why would he be here anyway? The Sensei was about to notify his sons when the Nightwatcher turned his head and stared at the Sensei. Even from the distance, the eyes shone with an unspeakable grief and wanting to be forgiven. The Sensei swallowed and imperceptibly shook his head no._

_It was too soon for him to give forgiveness._

End Flashback

The Sensei's eyes misted as he saw that scene. The funeral had been a week or so after the confession. They had to be very careful as the monsters were still establishing their territory and there were reports of stone monsters attacking people as well. On the way back, they had helped the Heiress in a fight – but she had her tongue ripped out. The Scientist had worked hard into the night making sure that she didn't die. Eventually he succeeded in his task and the Heiress left.

He blinked as another memory swarmed up from the depths. As the image cleared, he wallowed hard. He didn't want to relive this memory – but whoever was calling the shots was showing it anyway.

Flashback

_The Sensei ran hard. He could still fight his pursuers – but he just wanted to get away as soon as possible. Spying a fire escape ladder, he swung up and scurried to the top. Below him, he could hear the grunts of the Ogres as they ran on ahead. The good thing about some Ogres was that they were strong, but somewhat dim. The Sensei reached into his robe and pulled out a small device called a "mobile communicator" and flicked a switch on the side. _

_He sunk down to the floor and breathed heavily. A small recon mission with the Vigilante had gone over well; but on the way back, he had been surprised by the Ogres coming out of the shadows. A chase saw him run in the direction opposite from the lair – trying to evade the Ogres' fists. He closed his eyes and sighed in relief…before picking up a strangely metallic – yet familiar – scent. He stood up and looked around him – attempting to determine where the scent was coming from. His nose led him to an area that was lit only by a neon red sign – and illuminated what seemed to be a deceased person. He shut his eyes, but opened them again to look at the body closer._

_Thunder rumbled overhead as he crept closer to the body. He outstretched an arm, but withdrew it quickly. He steeled himself and reached out again – touching the rotten flesh. Upon feeling he skin, the heavens opened up; drenching the surrounding area. He drew in a shuddering breath as he realized who the body was. Even if the red light flickered off, he could still make out the muscle tone of the upper arms, the slightly scarred and cracked plastron, the chipped shell…and the blue bandanna mask that was wrapped around its head. The Sensei broke down crying in despair._

_His son would not be returning._

End Flashback

His sons had found him clinging to the body of the Leader – reigniting a brief surge of anger and hatred toward the Exile. That soon died down as they realized that the Leader wouldn't want them to act that way. The Sensei sighed and tried to will his spirit back to his body. As he settled back in – one last memory assaulted his consciousness. It came unbidden and unwanted – as he had soothed his soul of the emotions of that day. It was a moment he would never forget in a hurry.

Flashback

"_I killed Leo"_

_The Sensei blinked – not believing his own ears. His son – the one most controlled by his emotions had taken the life of his eldest. He swallowed down a rising anger and sighed. He could afford to be angry later, but there were some things to be said first. He spoke to his son in a quiet tone that hid the anger and shock he was feeling._

"_My son, you have dishonoured the family greatly. This is not an act that cannot go by unpunished. Do you know the scope and repercussions of your actions?"_

_His son sighed deeply and nodded. Deep down, the Sensei was impressed. He had not thought his brash son to be capable of such deep thought. Obviously he had been wrong, but he had to push down fatherly pride and focus on the task at hand._

"_Raphael, tell me. What are you prepared to do to atone for your sin? The family will not easily accept your actions. In time they may, but not immediately. What are you going to do?"_

_He saw his son swallow hard. His eyes clouded with resignation and an unending grief. His voice was wracked with barely stifled sobs._

"_I'm prepared to…to go into an exile from the family. No matter how long it takes, I'll leave. I…I'm sorry Sensei. That word isn't enough…but it's what I have now. I…I want to explain in front of the others. All of them."_

_The Sensei was surprised. To explain in front of everyone – to be raked over hot coals and be publicly humiliated. Wanting to do that took a lot of inner strength, guts and determination. That; or the person wanted to start absolving for his sins right then and there. The Sensei felt a surge of immense pride at his son, but pushed it behind a façade of stoic anger. _

"_Very well. I will call everyone here."_

End Flashback

He was immensely proud of his wayward son that day. Even though he had murdered his eldest son in old blood, he had stepped up to take whatever punishment was handed to him. He felt himself being woken up and he opened his eyes to see the Scientist staring at him.

"Sensei – are you all right? I heard you crying out."

The Sensei smiled and nodded.

"I am well Donatello, I am well."

Getting up off the meditation mat, Splinter strode out into the lair disturbed by his past.

.


	10. Acceptance

A/N: Great to hear that you all like where this is going! You may all hate me for the Grand Finale to the story though! Read on and review!

Chapter 10 – Acceptance

She knew it would come to this. She had him at her mercy. Finally, she would make him pay for the grief she had suffered throughout the past five years. Five years of repressed rage, sadness and pain. All due to one simple act. It hadn't been easy tracking him down. She had to map out the places where he usually patrolled and plan out an attack. It didn't help that the areas he usually patrolled were Monster breeding central and refugee city. She also had to hide her face when she went into the refugee areas. The public knew who she was and word traveled fast.

Her fighting skills had also increased. After the Sensei had lost his heart after the incident, she had sought training from the remaining brothers – each teaching her different ways of moving and fighting. She was now proficient in many different weapons and was as skilled as Karai – although the Heiress wouldn't admit that to her. She had planned out everything so meticulously and was unsurprised when the Night Watchman fell into her trap. She felt a shiver of pleasure go down her spine as she thought of what happened that fateful night.

Flashback

The door to the dojo slammed shut as the last of his brothers left in a fit of anger. It was just her, the Sensei and him. Sometime during the constant berating and screaming matches he had dropped to his knees in something akin to exhaustion or remorse. She looked at the fallen warrior with sorrow and regret. She could honestly say that she hadn't expected this from him…but knowing his temper, it was something that was bound to happen. From his slumped position, he looked up and sighed in resignation.

"_You're the last one? Out with it…you got Leo to come back from South America and well, look what happened."_

_He sounded resigned to whatever was coming. She wanted desperately to be angry at him – but after listening to 50 minutes of argument, she wanted to convey her disappointment and anger in a different way. Her voice was soothing, with a subtle undercurrent of anger._

"_Oh Raph, I know you didn't really mean to kill Leo. It just happened, right? These things happen and you shouldn't blame yourself. Your temper…it's not the best at times, so we can't fault that it overpowered your rational mind. Granted, a little restraint would have been welcome, but that's neither here nor there."_

_She saw his expression change from resigned to confused. She knew he picked up on the anger – but didn't know what it was aimed at. Internally, she smirked. Running circles around people had always been the job of the Scientist, but she could indulge herself just this once._

"_What I mean to say is, it's good you're OK. You were in a battle with a skilled opponent. It was either him or you, eh? Good thing you chose to save yourself instead of, oh, I don't know – choosing peace. Oh well, to each their own, right?"_

_She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. He had figured out all of the thinly veiled messages and was looking more miserable than ever. She felt a brief pang of pity for him, but suppressed it. She made a big show of looking at her watch and yawning. It was time for the finisher._

"_Well, would you look at the time? Visiting hours are almost over! I'll see you next time I swing around here, then? Great! I'll be seeing you then!"_

_With that, she opened the door of the dojo and walked out – a smug smile on her face._

End Flashback

That simple act had given her the most enjoyment. Even when the Vigilante had proposed to her, it wasn't the same. If she was to be 100 true to herself, it had given her the most enjoyment – and also the most remorse. It had haunted her all the time. She couldn't get away from it and slowly, ever so slowly – she had accepted what he did.

She reasoned that it was part of his nature. He protected the weak, but he never really protected himself. Not to mention he was always under the influence of his rage and mood swings – but that wasn't an excuse either. She knew it wasn't because she had a few of her own almost incidents. She never wanted to relive them again and every time she thought about them, the train of thought always led back to one person…or turtle. She knew he was sweating under the helmet. She had a sharpened katana poised to slash his neck open. If that didn't work, the modified one-handed chainsaw against his plastron probably would. She wondered if it was like this for him all those years ago – to look into the eyes of your victim and literally taste the fear rolling off them. No matter what the bad horror novels said – it didn't taste like a thousand orgasms coated in chocolate.

It tasted bitter.

With a flick of her wrists, she removed both weapons and let the burly turtle stand up. He looked at her warily, but when she sheathed her weapons he visibly relaxed. Cautiously, he opened up the visor of his helmet and eyed her. When he finally spoke, his voice was wary.

"Why? You hold a grudge for what I did…so why not kill me and be done with it?

She smirked at him – but it wasn't in contempt. It was a slow and sad smirk that changed into a full blown remorseful smile. Her voice held the same tinge of resentment from before – but was covered up by a strong note of self-loathing.

"I finally realized what it was like for you. I finally realized what it was like to be you."

He cocked a brow ridge and motioned for her to continue.

"All along, I was harshly judging you for something you had no control over. I guess I finally viewed all of you not as turtles – but as humans. And your act threw the bucket over me and left me seeing you as the monster I thought you was."

She took in a deep shuddering breath and steeled herself for her confession.

"Damnit Raph, can't you see what I just put you through? I tracked you here – the middle of an abandoned refugee camp – and basically tackled you off your bike! I took you unaware and acted exactly as you would've! I was…I was prepared to kill you without a moment's hesitation."

He removed his helmet and let the cool evening air wash over his skin. His voice was curious.

"So what stopped you?"

"I knew that if I did that, the humans would lose one of their brightest saviours. It would also make me no better than the monsters roaming around here. And I…I want to apologise for what I said five years ago."

She ran a hand through her closely cropped hair and exhaled sharply.

"I accept now that you did what your emotions and anger wanted. I accept that and I hope we can…start over as friends?"

The Night Watchman stared at her for a few minutes, apparently thinking something over. Finally, he stepped forward and opened his arms – embracing the petite woman. His voice held great relief and barely suppressed tears.

"Apology accepted, April. Apology accepted"


	11. Through The Looking Glass

A/N: Wow, 2 stories updated in the same day! Ultraris (my Ultra Crystals Saga muse) is going through my old notes, so MWorld (Monster World muse) stepped up to bat. Short chapter...but the end is coming soon!

Chapter 11 – Through the Looking Glass

He trudged through the barren landscape. He had no idea how much time had passed since his supposed family had thrown him in the vortex. He had been intrigued that he didn't automatically die – but he guessed it was some side effect of the original spell. Or that someone upstairs had a greater purpose for him. Whatever it was – that entity had to have a sick sense of humour. Upon awakening in his new surroundings, he had discovered something very…interesting about his journey. He wasn't in the past – as he had feared he would be. Instead, he was in a warped version of the present. Everything looked the same – sky, sand, and mountains; but there were no humans. Instead, great beasts walked the Earth.

The portal had stayed open for a short while – before snapping shut with a bang that echoed for days. Of course, he had been out cold in his ceremonial armour. For the first few days of his isolation, the issue of finding food was a problem. He knew that he didn't really have to eat to sustain himself; it had just turned into a habit over the centuries. Hunting and walking – that was his day in a nutshell. Occasionally he would come across a colossal beast that wanted to kill him, but they were no threat. He compared those encounters to facing down German Panther tanks in World War Two – only less explosive. And on most days there would be nothing to distract him away from the past. The people he had met, the things he had done – the women he had loved.

Those memories tore at his heart the most. The fact that he had loved so many women over the years – and yet was unable to tell them his secret to longevity. Of course, they wouldn't have believed him anyway; that was beside the point though. Many of them were dead and the most recent woman that he loved was trapped in the world he had come from. She was either dead or fighting. Either way, it was a bleak situation. They were fighting for their lives and he was fighting in another way. Or was he? He didn't know anymore. To fight for death would mean that his family had won and that he had nothing left to live for. To fight for freedom was saying he wanted to leave this place and return home. To fight for survival meant he had accepted his situation. To fight for the sake of fighting would mean he had turned into a monster himself.

It was a true 'Damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. He sighed yet again and trudged in a direction he hoped would lead to civilization.

His journey to Wonderland just beginning, Max Winters or Yaotl, strode toward his destiny.

Whatever that was.


	12. Perspective

Chapter 12 – Perspective

The Ninja ran after his prey, his heart racing. Three days of hunting had boiled down to this – a strike against the Hellhounds terrorizing the camps. The Scientist was back in the lair and was tracking his movements by the satellites which still orbited the Earth. He skidded to a stop and looked around a corner, cautiously. His hands dropped to his belt and withdrew a single shuriken. He wanted payback for what had been done to his eyes, what had been done to the people – what had been done to the world. His eyes roamed around the group of monstrosities. If his count was right, there were sixteen of them and one big motherfucker of a leader. Due to their immunity to fire, explosions were right out and the Scientist couldn't exactly create liquid nitrogen from scratch. The only cheap alternative they had was to find and fling fire extinguishers. The carbon dioxide inside them would weaken the Hounds enough so that they could be easily dispatched.

Of course, on nights like tonight – stealth was preferred. He drew back his arm and prepared to throw the shuriken when a rough voice hissed in his ear.

"Mikey, are you nuts?"

Biting back a yelp of surprise, the Ninja jerked back and whirled around to face the opaque visor of the Night Watchman. He was gripping his chains and looked relaxed, but ready to spring into action. A quick check round the corner confirmed the Hounds hadn't noticed their presence. The Ninja breathed a small sigh of relief and then rounded on the Watchman, his voice low.

"Jesus Christ Raph! Gave me a heart attack there. What're you doing here anyway? Last I heard, you were on the Upper West side chasing after those worms."

The Night Watchman smirked under his helmet and ran his tongue over his teeth. The Worms had been too easy for him, but they still gave him a small challenge. Unfortunately, the heads were too damn big for him to take as a trophy so the only memoir he had of those creatures was a smoldering pile in one of the vacant lots. He had been compelled to go farther West, but something he heard on the streets had drawn him back here. As much as it pained him to think about it, he had to leave America to go…somewhere. The only problem was transport. Riding his motorcycle over the ocean wouldn't get him anywhere in a hurry and commercial airlines were out. Even if he were to sneak into one of the few remaining Air Force bases and hop into the cockpit of an F-22 Raptor, he wouldn't know what to do. He had been wondering how he was going to talk to his estranged brother when he noticed his littlest brother about to perform a suicide charge at a group of Hellhounds. His concern carried over into his voice.

"Nah, that was an easy job. What are you doing? Hellhounds are dangerous up close. Hurling a shuriken at them will just tick them off. And don't bother telling me you had a CO2 canister at the ready, I'd see it if you had one."

The Ninja dropped his head. He didn't really have a plan other than "throw the star and hunt for an extinguisher". He broke away from the corner and walked with his brother towards the latter's cycle. Upon reaching the cycle, the Ninja's eyes widened as he saw his brother's motorcycle had been modified to the point where it looked like something out of a tokusatsu show. Two machinegun barrels protruded over the front wheel while a line of tubes covered the rear. The steering and brakes had been completely revamped for a design that was both modern and futuristic at the same time. There was also a lot more armour on the frame than previously. There were also more and more battle scars, some fresh. He could also sense a change in his brother – much like the one he had sensed all those years ago.

Flashback

_He ran over the rooftops, tracking his prey. His brother had told him that there was a nest of creatures a few blocks away and the scientist was never wrong. As he ran, his mind kept flashing to the events a few weeks ago – that the impulsive one had killed his brother. He had been shaken by the admission and even more shaken by the events that followed his admission. The Vigilante had torn into him, but what the Tracker had done was worse; she had ripped his heart apart. He had been stunned and had fled from the dojo, ignoring the weak apologies and cries of despair by the Exile. No, it wasn't right of him to call his brother that vile name. He was no more of an exile than they had been to the public. After that, the Sensei had made a snap decision to grieve…but then there was that light and the monsters._

_He snapped himself out of those thoughts as he leapt over to the next building. True, the last few weeks had been as hard as Hell, but they had been worthwhile. He felt that they were beating them back…but that was a dream and a fool's dream at that. The creatures had a strong foothold on Earth and they didn't look to be giving that up anytime soon. The only place that he had heard that was actually driving the creatures back was Sydney…and he couldn't exactly ask how they were doing it. All he knew is that fire was involved in some way. He sighed and put on a burst of speed as he neared his destination. He slowed as he reached the edge of the rooftop; something was wrong. There were sounds of combat already coming from the area below him and judging from the grunts he heard, his long lost brother was there._

_With only a moment's hesitation, he dived off the edge and transformed into a whirlwind of kicks, punches and blocks. His eyes barely registered the short and stocky bodies of the creatures as they fell under his elaborate strikes. Only when the alley was deathly still with only the growls of the dying did he face the figure behind him. From his stance, he knew that the figure was impressed yet wary. He decided to take the first step and tell the figure how he really felt – something he should have done weeks ago._

"_I'm angry, but I understand. I think out of all of us, I understand the most – because I'm the one in your position now."_

_The figure's body language changed subtly to shock and bewilderment. Smiling slightly, he leaned against the blood soaked wall and sighed._

"_I'm the one keeping everyone together. Sensei, he doesn't really come topside much, but he doesn't blame you. He told me about your decision to be raked over the coals. That took a lot of guts and he respects you for that. Donnie, he stays in his lab or in the dojo; he reckons he can build something to stop the breeding or stop it himself. All of us – we're drifting apart. We were drifting before but it's different now. I'm trying to keep everyone together…to keep the family together."_

_The figure exhaled and reached up to unlatch the helmet on its head. Sweat stained skin met cool air and a sharp intake of breath was heard. Brown eyes met blue and a resigned smile crept over the figure's beak. From the slightly upturned mouth came the rough voice of his brother – subtly stained by the barest hints of deep and raw emotion._

"_Out of all the people who I thought would understand my position before…you were at the bottom of the list Mikey. But, why? Why are you telling me what's happening to the family? They don't care about me."_

_The figure turned to leave. He didn't want his bro to go and he shouted the answer. He knew he didn't want to know, but he had a right to! Exile or not, he was still family._

"_Because they miss you!"_

_The armoured figure stopped in mid-step and slowly turned around. He had to press on with the information; with the revelations the figure didn't want to hear…but needed to._

"_Sensei isn't the same without you there. If you had stayed, you'd be shunned and frowned upon but you'd be safe and secure. Donnie thinks he doesn't care about you, but I know he does. I catch him looking at the monitors late at night; he claims he's looking for hotspots, but he and I know he's looking for you._

_Don't get me wrong – what you did…it should never have happened. We should have kicked butt and taken names and somewhere out there, it might've happened. But fate stepped in and made you do what you did. It wasn't good, it wasn't bad – it just was."_

_The younger one stopped speaking and looked at his brother. The elder one was looking at him with his mouth open and an incredulous look in his eyes – which shone in his voice._

"_How'd you get so smart about all of this? Fate? Destiny? Mikey, what happened to you?"_

"_After you left, I began to read those books that Sensei has. Those ones on self help and paving your way forward; they helped me deal with my emotions. I had to reel myself in and become the straight-laced one. We protect those who would shun our appearance. To the remaining humans, we're like superheroes. We fight the good fight and all that jazz."_

_Raph chuckled and closed his eyes. His voice was weary and tired._

"_So now what? I can't come back Mikey. Not now…maybe not for a long time; but you can't keep coming up this far. Word on the street is that a pack of Cerebri were spotted roaming round here – and you won't be able to fight them. I can. I know how to fight them and kill them."_

_He strode over to his younger brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. He knew his little brother would want to go with him – to help him – but he couldn't allow that. His safe house was just that and he didn't want anyone to be near it. Even family._

"_I'll cut you a deal. I'll give you intel on the beasts – descriptions, areas, nests and the like. In return, you keep your nose outta trouble and watch out for the family."_

End Flashback

The change he sensed on that night was still there, but it was mixed with a sense of longing. Mike decided to cut to the chase. He internally steeled himself for what he would hear after he asked the question.

"What's wrong Raph?"

The one known as Raphael closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. He looked at his battle scarred armour and exhaled. He needed to tell his brother.

"I need to leave"


	13. The Winter of Discontent: Part 1

A/N: Well, for the first time in a long while, there's an update for this! The end is only a few chapters away...but it will not be a happy one for any of them. So stay tuned, read and review!

Chapter 13 – The Winter of Discontent – Part 1

The atmosphere in the Lair was thick with a myriad of emotions. Stoic resilience came from the Vigilante who wanted nothing to do with the Exile, acceptance and understanding from the Ambusher, curiosity from the Scientist and fear and anguish from the Sensei. He had been shocked when the Ninja had called and asked for everyone to be present for something he called "the worst thing to happen since the Incident"; and he wanted _everyone_ to be there. The Sensei's first thought was that something had happened to one of his remaining sons or that one of his human allies had been killed. The Scientist had shown up with the Ambusher and the Vigilante had made a less than graceful entrance a few minutes later. Needless to say, everyone had been shocked when a futuristic looking motorcycle, ridden by the Exile with the Ninja hanging on, had raced into the Lair and stopped in the center.

The Exile – Raphael – dismounted and took off his helmet. Behind him, Michelangelo wobbled off and steadied himself on the side of the bike. To Splinter's eyes, his youngest son looked greener than usual and when he spoke his voice carried an undertone of nausea.

"I've called you all here for an announcement by our brother, Raphael. Estranged, yes – but still our brother. All of us have had some degree of contact with him over the past few years – whether by information, a flash in the dark or help after a debilitating injury. He has informed me that he wants to leave."

As predicted, the occupants in the room erupted into a mass of shouting and stunned denial. Raphael took all of the shouts in with a mixture of amazement and awe. This was the first time in a while that he had set foot inside the Lair and not outside it – as he had left the Scientist after his leg was torn off. He felt the shame of his past deed coming back to haunt him full force. It was funny in a way; fighting the monsters on the surface was something of a cathartic experience for him – something to make up for the grievous misdeed he had committed. Coming back to the Lair was akin to being a living solar eclipse – everything was shadowed over and his flaws were laid bare for all to see. He wanted to run or hide, but that wouldn't be like him. In a way, he was already running away from his family – he needed to leave and not come back for a long time. His mind was brought back into the present moment at Splinter's voice.

"Everyone, please calm down. Yes, this is a great shock to us but we must consider his wished. Raphael, can you please explain to us why you want to leave us?"

Raphael swallowed hard. How could he put into words the feeling he had, the knowing that something wasn't right and it wasn't in America. The feeling of wanting to know why Sydney was the only place to have pushed back the monsters while everywhere else was overrun. He opened his mouth and forced the words out, struggling with his feelings.

"I want…need to leave. I don't know where I'm going or if I will get there safely but I need to leave. There are other people out there that need help and it's selfish of me to be here. I don't know how I'm going to leave…but. I don't know. I have to."

Splinter twitched his nose and sighed as the air communicated with him. He knew this day would eventually come and he had prepared for it. Inhaling slowly, he walked to his son and placed a hand on his shoulder. Inwardly, he cried out as his son flinched at his caring touch and he swallowed the lump that had formed. He knew that for travel, his options were very limited. The seas were filled with Kraken, Leviathans and Megalodons had been sighted off the Arctic Circle. The air wasn't any better – Dragons, Griffins and various Pterosaurs had been seen flying about. If one were very lucky, they could possibly make it from Point A to Point B, but not vice-versa. There was one possibility but he was not sure his son would want to give it to him. His voice was soft and managed to cut through the air.

"My son, you must do what you think is right. Even when you committed your greatest sin you did what was right. You chose to tell the truth in front of your family and friends and to bear the weight of your actions alone. That took a great amount of courage and strength."

At that admission, everyone's eyes widened and shot to the lone figure in the centre of the room. In particular, Casey's mind raced back to the night of the confession. He had always thought that Splinter had forced Raph to explain everything, but to know that it was Raph himself who had wanted it. A pang of shame and sadness ripped into his gut as he remembered that he had said on that night.

"_To me, you're no better than the monsters"_

That wasn't true no matter how many times he wanted to convince himself of it. He wanted to say something – anything – but he couldn't. The merciless vigilante was speechless in front of his former best friend. Evidently his expression and feelings must have shown in his eyes as the Night Watchman nodded slightly in his direction. The Scientist was also reeling back from the admission. He would never have thought that his angry and impulsive brother would have it in him to willingly bear so many burdens. The guilt must have been continuously gnawing on him from the inside. And now, he wanted to leave? To leave would mean certain death at he jaws of many of the aerial or aquatic creatures that lay in wait between destinations. No vehicle could ever make it past those beasts…except one.

Slowly, he stepped forward into the centre of the room; nervously wringing his hands. Feeling all eyes on him, he swallowed hard and addressed his brother directly for the first time in years.

"I have something for you. Follow me."


	14. The Winter of Discontent: Part 2

A/N: Two chapters in three days. I'm on a roll, but the end is nigh. Just a few more chapters to go and Monster World will be over. And, I have no idea where all the angst in this chapter came from.

Edit: Hopefully this should make the speaker of last line clearer.

Chapter 14 – The Winter Of Discontent

Part 2: Remembrance

Raphael followed his brother through the narrow halls. He winced slightly to himself each time he heard the slight metallic clink of his artificial leg on the cement floor. His mind raced back to that night – he was so close to Donatello's position and could have been there in half the time. The only problem he had? The feeling of shame inside him. And that strange voice that sounded oddly familiar…

Flashback

_He wasn't one to pay attention to any warning signs, but he knew he had to be here. The only problem was the location. He shut off the engine, dismounted and looked around warily. Hordes of Cyclops had been spotted in the area and it was too damn close to the breeding grounds of the Chimeras. Damn things were extremely hard to kill. He had lost one of his sai in an extremely risky move that left him with a large gash in his side and a slight dent in his shell. He had made another crude one, but weapon making was Leo's forte, not his. He'd probably have to find another forge and try to refine it slightly. The only problem with that idea was the lizards that lived around most places of heat…and the question of why those huge furnaces were on in the first place. He tried not to think about the last one too much – it made his brain hurt._

_If he was still with his brothers, Mikey would have said something about him needing a brain first. He closed his eyes and squeezed out the tears he knew were coming out. The all too familiar ache of longing and sadness pulsed through his body and it was all he could do not to start crying then and there. Everyone blamed him and they had a right to; he had given into his berserker tendencies at the worst moment and the world was paying the price for it. If he could go back to that moment, he would have gladly turned the blade on his own throat. That way, the world would still be saved and his brother would still have been alive._

And what about you, Raph?

_His head jerked up. No one around him, but he had heard that voice. A voice that sounded like…Leo. It couldn't be, but he had heard it as plain as day. He sighed again and gently leaned against his bike. It didn't matter anyway. He knew his brother was disappointed in him up…wherever he was. He had lost control and been publicly named and shamed. All right, so the public thing had been his idea in the first place but it would have been better if he was the one to have died. After all, he was the expendable one…_

Really? Or are you saying that to reassure yourself?

_No…it wasn't possible. No way in Hell could that voice be ringing in his ears. His eyes searched around him, frantically searching for something that would make it seem like a prank. A somewhat sick and twisted joke played on him by his little brother…but his little bro didn't know where he was going. No one did and if they knew, they'd come after him with hatred and vengeance._

Maybe that's what you think.

_He squeezed his eyes shut and growled. Dimly, he was aware of a pair of Cyclops moving around – searching for something. Out of all the nights for him to be hearing things tonight wasn't a good night. He took in a deep breath and resolved to not hear anything until the time was right._

End Flashback

He didn't know if it was his conscience or overactive imagination that night, but it had resulted in him saving his brother. He looked over his shoulder to see if the – his family were following. They were, but at a distance. Something about brotherly bonding or talking. After all, he did save his life that night. Raph tensed his shoulders and addressed his brother.

"Don, remember when you were attacked the night when you lost your leg? What do you remember of it?"

Don glanced back at his brother and answered, his voice weary and quiet.

"Nothing much. Pain, fear and chaos. I remember saying stuff, but I don't really remember what it was. If it's any consolation, I meant everything I said. Um, unless it was bad. Anyway, we're here."

Donatello keyed a series of numbers into a keypad and stepped back as a tunnel appeared in the brickwork. He stepped through the portal while Raph hung back. He smirked and sighed in contentment. No, the words hadn't been bad but he had never known if they were real or not. Now that he knew, he was…happy.

Flashback

_He kept a close arm around his brother as he sped through the streets, starling survivors and monsters alike. His brother looked dangerously pale and the makeshift tourniquet wouldn't last long. Not to mention his crying out for the eldest brother. He almost slammed on the brakes as he heard another shout from behind him._

"_Raph! Come back! I'm sorry! You're still my brother and I still love you! Don't leave…don't leave me here."_

End Flashback


	15. Author's Note

Authors Note:

Hey all, just a short note to tell you that I am dropping Monster World from my list of semi active fics. Real life sunk its claws into me a while back and I haven't had a chance to do much of anything lately. Plus a few other fic bunnies have sprung up and destroyed my plot lines.

Thanks for your support and your reviews, but I'm not leaving you empty handed. Below is a snippet of what would have been the next chapter. If anyone wants to continue this, PM me first and I'll give you what plot details I had finalized (Leo is dead. He's not coming back in any form.)

Thanks again!

_MM

Chapter 15: The Winter of Discontent

Part 3: Chasm

He couldn't speak. The sight was too brilliant to sully with mortal words. He had no idea what that meant, but his brain wasn't really processing much. The craft in the picture spoke only of total defence. Thick slabs of armour gave the impression that it would sink like a stone, yet powerful directional jets allowed VTOL and spoke of moving at great speeds. The pictures of the interior were incredible as well. There were spaces for food, weapons and rest. Detailed layouts showed the locations of the weapons, plus charging stations. It was – in short – a work of art. Raph stepped back and looked at his brother with shock and disbelief. To think that his bro had been working on this vehicle was amazing. The cargo bay was even large enough to hold his cycle with room to spare.

Stepping back, he struggled with the words to say; finally managing a choked sentence to come out.

"How…how did you know I would be needing this?"

His brother didn't say anything, merely staring off into space with a wistful look in his eyes. Raph feared that he might have dredged up bad memories and stayed silent. Finally, Don sighed softly and spoke, his voice laced with pain and sadness.

"I didn't know. Leo did. He told me to build this…just in case"

Flashback

"_Leo…I don't understand. This thing is like a battle tank! The firepower alone…why would we need something like this?"_

_Leonardo stared at his brother and shook his head. With the Foot lying low, they had to be prepared for anything. Don would have a lot of time to build and perfect it as well. Master Splinter had told him that he needed to leave the family to become a better leader. He had absolutely no idea what that meant; but he supposed it was something for the future. His meditations had shown him nothing, except a chilling image of the world in ruins as creatures rampaged through it. His brothers had been seen by him as well; fighting to survive and torn apart by an unspeakable tragedy. The only thing that kept gnawing at him was why he didn't see himself in the vision. Usually, he would see flashes in a mirror or even in a puddle. The fact that he didn't concerned him, but he knew that no matter what, his brothers would always look out for each other._

"_Don, we need to be prepared for anything. Can you build this?"_

_Slightly scratching his head, Donatello looked over the schematics once more. The design looked simple enough, but Leo – not normally the most technical turtle – had written notes on what weaponry and abilities he wanted. Surface to air missiles, self-loading machineguns, drill-tipped rockets and even the odd flamethrower. It was a survivalist's wet dream. Don couldn't think of any way they could use this without attracting unwanted attention; it was hard enough using the van…and it was April's. But if that was what Leo wanted then he would do everything in his power to make sure it came to life. Sighing, he looked up at his brother and nodded._

"_I'll do it."_

_End Flashback_

"There is one thing you should know. While the Last Hope is completed; it is in an area that has been claimed by Wraiths…"

Don let the end of his sentence trail off uncertainly. He could taste both the fear and worry of his brothers, his father and their friends. Wraiths – mysterious creatures that had one day popped up literally out of nowhere. For those people who were in the area whenever a Wraith appeared; death was the only thing coming to them. Bodies had been found ripped apart, mangled, throats ripped out…basically everything under the sun plus a few deaths that weren't. It seemed the only way to combat them was to shoot at them with tank shells, RPGs or any other high-impact/velocity slugs. Everything else either bounced off their prismatic hides or didn't connect. The other monsters all but feared them and kept away from their slowly expanding territory as much as they could; except the Dragons, Cerebri and Chimeras – which went toe-to-toe with the Wraiths on a seemingly daily basis.

He also found it strange that the name Leo had chosen for it was "Last Hope". In one way, it seemed like a morbid prediction of what was to come…but in another it seemed like it was the best chance of survival any of them had. If they were to stay in the Lair, the monsters would eventually break through the outer defenses. That also meant that New York would be defenseless apart from the remaining members of The Foot. Don didn't want to think about it, but in order to help those overseas and those close to home…they would have to separate from each other. It wouldn't be a permanent split – just long enough for Raph to help who he needed to help and come back. However long that took was another story. With the "Last Hope", theoretically they could reunite in a few hours.

He closed off that trail of thought and looked around to his remaining family. Splinter seemed to be in deep discussion with Mikey and April; while Casey was looking at Raph with a mixture of sadness and loss on his face. He could hardly imagine what it must have felt like to him. On the other hand, Raph had a determined look on his face and a thread of steel in his voice.

"I say we go for it. Either we get on board and save who we can or we die in a blaze of glory."

End…?


End file.
